Two Calvert County residents who were members of the crews fighting a three-alarm house fire in South Anne Arundel County Wednesday, Jan. 20 sustained injuries when a floor collapsed.

According to Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department (Company 5) Chief Toby Sealy, the injured firefighters were identified as Dave Skaggs, 25 of Dunkirk and Tom Scott IV, a professional firefighter with Anne Arundel County who volunteers with the Prince Frederick Volunteer Fire Department.

In a report Sealy posted on Company 5’s web site, the incident happened during the early afternoon hours at a two-story, single-family dwelling on Little Road in Lothian. In addition to personnel from Anne Arundel County, Company 5 and the North Beach Volunteer Fire Department crewmembers were dispatched to the scene of the blaze, about two miles from the Calvert-Anne Arundel line.

“As the crew made their push in front of the house, they met with high heat and zero visibility,� Sealy stated. That crew noticed “heavy fire conditions in the basement� as they exited the dwelling to exchange air cylinders. Two crews then “entered the home in an attempt to locate the basement stairs to prevent further spread of the blaze,� Sealy stated. “However, as the crews entered the house approximately 3 - 5 feet, the floor collapsed, sending all five firefighters tumbling into the basement where heavy fire conditions were present. A Mayday was sounded for firefighters trapped in the basement.�

According to Sealy, two off-duty Washington, DC firefighters who reside near the scene of the blaze along with on-duty personnel from Prince George’s County helped rescue the trapped firefighters. “Without hesitation of the fire conditions present, [they] immediately deployed ground ladders through the front door and window to allow a means of egress for the firefighters in the basement. All firefighters were able to ascend the ladders to safety in the front yard and were turned over to awaiting EMS units on scene for evaluation.�

Sealy stated three of the five injured firefighters were treated at the scene.

Scott was flown to Washington MEDSTAR “with facial injuries, broken ribs and smoke inhalation,� Sealy stated.

According to the Company 5 chief, Skaggs was transported by ambulance to Calvert Memorial Hospital (CMH) with “minor smoke inhalation, lacerations, and neck and back injuries.�

Sealy confirmed that Skaggs had been released from CMH and was back at Company 5.

E-mail Marty Madden at editorial@calvertindependent.com.